HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Haverstraw is a
town A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an o ...
in
Rockland County Rockland County is the southernmost county on the west side of the Hudson River in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the New York metropolitan area. It is about from the Bronx at their closest points. The county's population, as of t ...
,
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...
, United States, located north of the Town of Clarkstown and the Town of Ramapo; east of Orange County; south of the Town of Stony Point; and west of the
Hudson River The Hudson River is a river that flows from north to south primarily through eastern New York. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York and flows southward through the Hudson Valley to the New York Harbor between Ne ...
. The town runs from the west to the east border of the county in its northern section. The population was 36,634 at the 2010 census. The name comes from the Dutch word ''Haverstroo'' meaning "oats straw", referring to the grasslands along the river. The town contains three villages, one of which is also known as Haverstraw. Haverstraw village is the original seat of government for the town, hosting the area's historic central downtown business district and the densest population in northern Rockland County.


History

In 1609, the region was explored by
Henry Hudson Henry Hudson ( 1565 – disappeared 23 June 1611) was an English sea explorer and navigator during the early 17th century, best known for his explorations of present-day Canada and parts of the northeastern United States. In 1607 and 16 ...
. A land purchase was made in this town in 1666 from local natives and confirmed as a patent in 1671. The region was known as ''Haverstroo'', meaning "oat straw" in Dutch. During the
American Revolution The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revoluti ...
, it served as an important lookout for British activities on the Hudson. A blue-marked trail, the Long Path, may be taken eastward from Central Highway along the crest of South Mountain to High Tor. Halfway is Little Tor, the second highest peak on South Mountain. The town of Haverstraw was formed in 1788 while still part of
Orange County, New York Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 401,310. The county seat is Goshen. This county was first created in 1683 and reorganized with its present boundaries in 1798. Orang ...
. Haverstraw was partitioned in 1791 to form the town of Clarkstown and the town of Ramapo and again in 1865 to form the town of Stony Point. In 1826 the town was the site of a short-lived effort to establish an Owenite colony called the Franklin Community.Arthur Bestor, ''Backwoods Utopias: The Sectarian Origins and the Owenite Phase of Communitarian Socialism in America, 1663-1829.'' 950Enlarged 2nd Edition. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1970; pp. 203-204. Underfinanced and wracked by internal dissent, the model Owenite community folded after a mere five months of operation.


Geography

According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...
, the town has a total area of , of which is land and , or 19.19%, is water.


Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 33,811 people, 11,255 households, and 8,328 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,508.3 people per square mile (582.3/km2). There were 11,553 housing units at an average density of 515.4 per square mile (199/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 66.24%
white White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...
, 10.27%
black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...
or
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, .41% Native American, 3.21% Asian, .10%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 15.65% from other races, and 4.12% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...
or Latino of any race were 31.73% of the population. Haverstraw has one of largest Dominican communities in the United States with Dominicans making up 32.4% of the population There were 11,255 households, out of which 37.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.4% were married couples living together, 15.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.0% were non-families. 21.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.94 and the average family size was 3.43. In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.3% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 23.6% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.4 males. The median income for a household in the town was $53,850, and the median income for a family was $61,119. Males had a median income of $40,109 versus $31,979 for females. The per capita income for the town was $22,188. About 8.1% of families and 10.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.8% of those under age 18 and 13.8% of those age 65 or over. As of the 2020 census, there were 39,087 people residing in the town.Haverstraw town, Rockland County, New York
/ref>


Government

Haverstraw has a council form of government. The town supervisor is Howard T. Phillips Jr., and council members are Vincent Gamboli, John J. Gould, Hector L. Soto and Isidro "Papo" Cancel. The town's services include a police department.


Transportation

Major highways include the Palisades Interstate Parkway, U.S. Route 9W, U.S. Route 202, and NY Route 45. Haverstraw is also a terminus of the NY Waterway/
Metro-North Railroad Metro-North Railroad , trading as MTA Metro-North Railroad, is a suburban commuter rail service run by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), a public authority of the U.S. state of New York and under contract with the Connectic ...
Haverstraw–Ossining Ferry. Short Line, part of Coach USA, provides daily service along U.S. Route 9W heading to and from the
Port Authority Bus Terminal The Port Authority Bus Terminal (colloquially known as the Port Authority and by its acronym PABT) is a bus terminal located in Manhattan in New York City. It is the busiest bus terminal in the world by volume of traffic, serving about 8,000 bus ...
in
Midtown Manhattan Midtown Manhattan is the central portion of the New York City borough of Manhattan and serves as the city's primary central business district. Midtown is home to some of the city's most prominent buildings, including the Empire State Buildi ...
and West Point Military Academy or Newburgh.
New York Central The New York Central Railroad was a railroad primarily operating in the Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The railroad primarily connected greater New York and Boston in the east with Chicago and St. Louis in the Mid ...
's
West Shore Railroad The West Shore Railroad was the final name of a railroad that ran from Weehawken, New Jersey, on the west bank of the Hudson River opposite New York City, north to Albany, New York, and then west to Buffalo. It was organized as a competitor ...
began operations along the banks of the Hudson in 1883 and until 1958 operated passenger service between Albany and Weehawken Terminal in
Weehawken, New Jersey Weehawken is a township in the northern part of Hudson County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is located largely on the Hudson Palisades overlooking the Hudson River. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 17,197.
, where passengers could transfer to ferries to
Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...
. Service between West Haverstraw and Weehawken was discontinued in 1959. The
right of way Right of way is the legal right, established by grant from a landowner or long usage (i.e. by prescription), to pass along a specific route through property belonging to another. A similar ''right of access'' also exists on land held by a gov ...
is still used for freight and is known as the River Line.
Conrail Conrail , formally the Consolidated Rail Corporation, was the primary Class I railroad in the Northeastern United States between 1976 and 1999. The trade name Conrail is a portmanteau based on the company's legal name. It continues to do bus ...
operated the system until its dissolution. It is now part of the CSX River Subdivision which runs between North Bergen Yard in New Jersey and
Selkirk, New York Selkirk is a hamlet in the town of Bethlehem, Albany County, New York, United States. It is located south of the city of Albany and is a suburb of that city. A major freight railyard operated by the Selkirk Subdivision of CSX Transportation ...
.


Communities and locations in the town

* Bowline Point Town Park – A park east of Haverstraw on a
peninsula A peninsula (; ) is a landform that extends from a mainland and is surrounded by water on most, but not all of its borders. A peninsula is also sometimes defined as a piece of land bordered by water on three of its sides. Peninsulas exist on a ...
, called Bowline Point, in the
Hudson River The Hudson River is a river that flows from north to south primarily through eastern New York. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York and flows southward through the Hudson Valley to the New York Harbor between Ne ...
. * Garnerville – A hamlet southwest of
West Haverstraw West Haverstraw is a village incorporated in 1883 in the town of Haverstraw, Rockland County, New York, United States. It is located northwest of Haverstraw village, east of Thiells, south of the hamlet of Stony Point, and west of the Hudson R ...
. * Harriman State Park – Part of the park is in the western part of the town. * Village of Haverstraw – The historic downtown business district. The original seat of government in Haverstraw Town. * Johnsontown – A hamlet west of
West Haverstraw West Haverstraw is a village incorporated in 1883 in the town of Haverstraw, Rockland County, New York, United States. It is located northwest of Haverstraw village, east of Thiells, south of the hamlet of Stony Point, and west of the Hudson R ...
named after the Johnson brothers. * Ladentown – A hamlet. *
Lake Kanawauke Lake Kanawauke is a primarily man-made lake in Harriman State Park. The name is Onondaga in origin, and means "place of much water". There are three parts to the lake, lower, middle and upper; the total area is . It is located in the Town of Tu ...
– A lake in Harriman State Park in the southwestern corner of the town. *
Lake Sebago At , Lake Sebago, near Sloatsburg, is the largest lake in Harriman State Park in the U.S. state of New York. The name is Algonquian for "big water". It is located just south of Lake Kanawauke and is accessible via Seven Lakes Drive and the Pa ...
– A lake in Harriman State Park in the southwestern corner of the town. *
Lake Welch Settlement History (1760-1939) Sandyfield was a settlement of about 30 houses in the Town of Ramapo in Rockland County, New York, United States, that was submerged when swampy Beaver Pond was dammed to create Lake Welch in Harriman State Park ...
– A lake in Harriman State Park near the western town line. * Mount Ivy – A hamlet by the southern town line. * Pomona – A village partly in the town and partly in the town of Ramapo. * Samsondale – A hamlet east of
West Haverstraw West Haverstraw is a village incorporated in 1883 in the town of Haverstraw, Rockland County, New York, United States. It is located northwest of Haverstraw village, east of Thiells, south of the hamlet of Stony Point, and west of the Hudson R ...
. * St. John's in the Wilderness – A hamlet. * Thiells – A hamlet west of
West Haverstraw West Haverstraw is a village incorporated in 1883 in the town of Haverstraw, Rockland County, New York, United States. It is located northwest of Haverstraw village, east of Thiells, south of the hamlet of Stony Point, and west of the Hudson R ...
. *
West Haverstraw West Haverstraw is a village incorporated in 1883 in the town of Haverstraw, Rockland County, New York, United States. It is located northwest of Haverstraw village, east of Thiells, south of the hamlet of Stony Point, and west of the Hudson R ...
– A village. * Willow Grove – A hamlet on the northern town line.


Education

The
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York The Archdiocese of New York ( la, Archidiœcesis Neo-Eboracensis) is an ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church ( particularly the Roman Catholic or Latin Church) located in the New York (state), State of New York. It encom ...
operates Catholic schools in Rockland County. St. Peter Parish School was in Haverstraw. In 2012, after the archdiocese announced that it could potentially be closed, the school community did a fundraising drive as the school was told it could remain open if a plan to raise $500,000 annually was produced. That year the school's per-student cost was $5,500 but it relied on archdiocese funds as it deliberately had tuition below cost, at $3,600, so children of
working class The working class (or labouring class) comprises those engaged in manual-labour occupations or industrial work, who are remunerated via waged or salaried contracts. Working-class occupations (see also " Designation of workers by collar colou ...
backgrounds could attend. It had an increasing enrollment at the time of closure, with 328 students in its final year.


Notable people

*
Wilson P. Foss Jr. Wilson Perkins Foss, Jr. (circa 1881 – November 17, 1957) was an American art collector, art dealer, and businessman. As a knowledgeable collector of Eastern art and vice-president of art dealers Parish Watson & Co. for 23 years, he helped est ...
, art collector and businessman * Walter S. Gurnee, Fourteenth Mayor of
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
*
Abram Stevens Hewitt Abram Stevens Hewitt (July 31, 1822January 18, 1903) was an American politician, educator, ironmaking industrialist, and lawyer who was mayor of New York City for two years from 1887–1888. He also twice served as a U.S. Congressman from and ...
(1822–1903) was a teacher, lawyer, iron manufacturer, U.S. Congressman, and a mayor of New York. * Molly McGee (1952–1994), gridiron football player * Marty Springstead, American League Umpire * Scott Stanford (1977) – WWE Superstars play-by-play announcer working for the Raw
brand A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's good or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create an ...
* Both the composer
Kurt Weill Kurt Julian Weill (March 2, 1900April 3, 1950) was a German-born American composer active from the 1920s in his native country, and in his later years in the United States. He was a leading composer for the stage who was best known for his fru ...
and his wife, the actress and singer Lotte Lenya, are buried in Haverstraw * Robert Sterling Yard, journalist, environmentalist Haverstraw was home to three Medal of Honor recipients: * Nick Erickson, Navy,
Spanish–American War , partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence , image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg , image_size = 300px , caption = (clock ...
* Michael A. Donaldson, 69th New York,
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...


Footnotes


Further reading

* George H. Budke, ''Rockland County during the American Revolution, 1776–1781''. New York: Rockland County Public Librarians Association, 1976.


External links


Town of Haverstraw official website

Greater Haverstraw Chamber of Commerce
{{authority control Towns in Rockland County, New York New York (state) populated places on the Hudson River 1671 establishments in the Province of New York Populated places established in 1671